Religion and Ecstasy in Seventeenth Century Italy

Abstract

In the seventeenth century, the supremacy of the Catholic Church was being threatened both by science and by the growth of Protestantism. Rome, as the only remaining centre for Catholicism, needed to reassert its authority and reclaim those who had lost their faith. As a result, religious artistic production of the seventeenth century took on a spectacular and theatrical character that sought to inspire awe and reverence in its audience. There was a renewed interest in depicting martyred saints, encouraging the laity to look upon them as models of Catholic piety who were willing to give their lives for the faith. However, there was also a growing cult of interest in the mystical aspects of Catholicism. Figures such as Saint Teresa of Avila, who experienced visions and ecstatic unions with Christ, encouraged a renewed interest in Catholicism and promoted a much more personal and private connection with Christ. Thispresentation will investigate the growing interest in and conceptions of martyrdom and religious ecstasy. In particular, it will examine Gianlorenzo Bernini’s sculptures of St. Lawrence, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, and the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni, ultimately demonstrating that the two concepts were intimately related and, when depicted with the magnificence and splendour of the Baroque style, were powerful tools of propaganda for the Catholic Church.